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Elective Office

Roemer represented Louisiana in the House as a Democrat from 1981 to 1988, when he was elected as governor. During his single four-year term, he switched from Democrat to Republican.

Other career highlights

After college, Roemer returned to Louisiana to found Innovative Data Systems, a software company, and Red River Valley Bank. After serving as governor, Roemer joined FG Group, a company focused on trade in Asian markets, and founded his own trading company, The Sterling Group. He also worked in real estate with his own firm, Roemer Development. Roemer also was named a Kennedy Fellow at Harvard and taught students in law and business.

Fundraising

Roemer’s campaign theme, “Free to Lead,” references his unique fundraising approach: Roemer limits all campaign contributions to $100 per person. He also decries political action committees and refuses their funds, all in an effort to limit money’s political pull. He has raised nearly $96,000 through the second quarter, with $10,000 coming from his own pocket.

Sources

Roemer is known for...

Roemer is the only GOP candidate who’s been both a governor and congressman.

Roemer acknowledges that his denial of personal campaign contributions over $100 or political action committee money has left him unable to run a large-scale campaign required to gain name recognition and a spot in major debates. “I don’t know that I’ll ever be a major candidate,” he told Politico in August. “I’m going to be independent from the big money, Wall Street money, special-interest money. That’s going to be my mark in this campaign.”

As a governor, he takes credit for increasing teacher pay, strengthening environmental laws and toughening campaign finance laws. But the Legislature rejected his efforts to reform the tax system.

During his time in Congress, Roemer considered himself “a conservative Democrat who often broke ranks with his party to vote with President Reagan.” He served as leader of the Conservative Democrats in the House. His party switch from career-long Democrat to Republican in 1991 caused a stir among both parties. Although the switch made Roemer an incumbent Republican at the time of his re-election bid, the Louisiana GOP opted to endorse Congressman Clyde C. Holloway.

In his eight years as a representative, he served on Banking, Small Business and Public Works committees.

Roemer was elected as a delegate to help rewrite the Louisiana Constitution in 1973.